The Shakespeare 
Question Course 



BY 



FORREST S. LUNT, A.B., A.M., 

Instructor in English 

Horace Mann School, Teacher's College 

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 



This course is prepared to help 
the general reader to under- 
stand and enjoy the plays, 
comedies and tragedies of 
the world's foremost author 



Published Expressly for Readers of 

The New International 

Shakespeare 



The Shakespeare 
Question Course 



BY 

FORREST S. LUNT, A.B., A.M., 

Instructor in English 

Horace Mann School, Teacher' s College 

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 



This course is prepared to help 
the general reader to under- 
stand and enjoy the plays, 
comedies and tragedies of 
the world's foremost author 



Published Expressly for Readers of 

The New International 

Shakespeare 






Copyright, 1914, by 
Hearst's International Library Co., Inc. 



DEC 16 1914 

©CI.A388844 

*^0 / 



INTRODUCTORY NOTE 

These questions were prepared for the purpose of 
assisting the general reader to a better understanding of 
the plays of Shakespeare. 

They are intended to suggest the salient points which 
should be noted by those who are reading for pleasure. 

They do not require intimate knowledge of notes, his- 
torical references, or of play making. 

They may be answered by any thoughtful reader. 

Read the introduction by Mr. Arthur Brisbane, which 
contains material and suggestions that will greatly aid 
you in appreciating the plays and poems. 

F. S. L. 



The Shakespeare Question Course 



The Tempest 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. Where is the scene of 

this drama placed? 

2. Can you give a reason why 
Shakespeare begins this play 
with a storm? 

3. Scene 2. What do you learn 

about Ferdinand? 

4. What expression of the Realis- 
tic, the Romantic, and the Su- 
pernatural does Shakespeare give 
in this act? 

ACT II 

5. Scene 1. What description of the 

island does Gonzalo give? 

6. Scene 1. What does Ariel do for 

Gonzalo ? 

7. Scene 2. What is the dramatic 

purpose of this humorous scene? 

ACT III 

8. Scene 1. What task does Pros- 

pero impose upon Ferdinand? 



10. 



11. 



12. 



15. 



16. 



17. 



Compare the love scene of Miran- 
da and Ferdinand with that of 
Romeo and Juliet; in what are 
they alike; how do they differ? 

ACT IV 

Give as good a description as you 
can of Caliban. 

How does the action of the play 
progress in this act? 

ACT V 

How does the author bring 
Prospero to release his pris- 
oners ? 

What do you think of Prospero? 
How does he present Ferdinand 
to his father again? 

GENERAL 
What do you think of The Tem- 
pest? 

Why is it not a good play to 
be acted? 

What do you learn from the 
epilogue? 



The Two Gentlemen of Verona 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. What does Shakespeare 

tell about the characters Pro- 
teus and Valentine? lines 63-68. 

2. Is this scene humorous? Why? 

3. Scene 2. Compare the first 50 

lines of this scene with 

The Merchant of Venice, Act I, 

Scene 2, lines 37-140. 

4. What are your conclusions? 

5. Scene 3. Why is this an impor- 

tant scene? 



ACT II 

6. Scene 1. What shows you that 

Valentine's love for Silvia is 
genuine? 

7. Scene 2. What is the reason for 

giving this short scene? 

8. Scene 3. What kind of humor is 

found in this scene? 

9. Do you enjoy it? 

10. Scene 4. How does Thurio reveal 

his character? lines 10-42. 

11. Scene 5. Would comedy of this 

kind interest a modern audi- 
ence? 



THE SHAKESPEARE 



ACT III 

12. Which is the more interesting, 
Valentine or Proteus? 

ACT IV 

13. Scene 1. How does Shakespeare 

make Valentine's willingness to 
become an outlaw less objec- 
tionable? lines 71-76. 

14. Summarize the methods Shake- 
speare has used to complicate 
the story. 

15. What feelings are aroused by 
lines 68-112? 



ACT V 

16. Does Proteus deserve the re- 
ward he receives? 

17. Will Julia be happy with Pro- 
teus? 



GENERAL 

18. Do you like the way in which 
Shakespeare ends the play? 

19. Are there any scenes or char- 
acters which seem unnatural? 

20. Do you like the story? Why? 



The Merry Wives of Windsor 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. Describe the characters 

in this scene basing your de- 
scriptions upon what they say. 

2. Scene 3. What is the spirit of 

this scene? 

ACT II 

3. What parts of the three scenes 
of this act advance the main 
story of the play? 

4. What parts are given merely to 
amuse ? 

ACT III 

5. Scene 1. Do you enjoy the humor 

of Slender's asides? 

6. Scene 3. Are you interested in 

the plan of Mistress Page and 
Mistress Ford? 

7. Scene 4. How does Slender act in 

this scene? 



8. What do you think of his woo- 
ing? 

9. Scene 5. Does this scene appeal 

to you as funny? Why? 

ACT IV 

10. Scene 1. How would this scene 

have to be played in order to 
show the fun in it? 

11. Scenes 4 and 6. Which of the 

two plans for Anne's marriage 
do you want to succeed? Why? 

ACT V 

12. Scene 5. How is the comedy 

finally concluded? 

GENERAL 

13. Are you more interested in the 
story of Falstaff or in the story 
of Anne and Fenton? Why? 



Measure for Measure 



ACT I 

1. How are you informed of the 
conditions in the city which 
need to be changed? 

ACT II 

2. Scene 2. Should Angelo have been 

moved to clemency by Isabella's 
arguments? 

ACT III 

3. Does this act suggest that the 
Duke understood Angelo's real 
character? 



ACT IV 

How does Shakespeare try to 
make Mariana's assent to the 
Duke's plan seem less repulsive? 

ACT V 

What are your criticisms of the 
final disposition of the chief 
characters ? 

GENERAL 

How does this play show the dif- 
ferences between the ethics of 
Shakespeare's time and modern 
times? 



QUESTION COURSE 



The Comedy of Errors 



ACT I 



1. Scene 1. Are you interested by 

.ZEgeon's story? 

2. What are the important points 
in it? 

3. Scene 2. What does Antipholus of 

Syracuse think of the message 
he receives from the mistaken 
Dromio? 



10. 



11. 



ACT II 

4. Scene 1. What kind of woman is 12. 

Adriana? 

5. How does Shakespeare make 

the mistakes seem natural to 13. 
Antipholus of Syracuse and his 
Dromio? (lines 184 ff.) 

ACT III 14. 

6. Scene 1. Has Antipholus of Ephe- 15. 

sus any excuse for making the 
announcement found in lines 
107-121? 

7. Do you attach any importance 16. 
to the proposed gift of the 
chain? lines 117-119. 

8. Scene 2. Contrast Luciana with 17. 

her sister. 



Why is the idea in line 161 re- 
peated? 

ACT IV 

W T hat is the first incident which 
shows Shakespeare is getting 
ready for the explanations 
which come in Act V? 
Was Adriana justified in think- 
ing her husband had gone mad? 

ACT V 

Has Adriana deserved the re- 
buke of the Abbess? (lines 
68 ff.) 

Do the events of this act fol- 
low in natural sequence? 

GENERAL 

W T hat type of play is this? 
Do the characters develop as 
the play progresses or do they 
remain as they were at the 
opening of the play? 
Keeping the explanation of An- 
tipholus of Syracuse in mind, 
does the play seem plausible? 
Did you enjoy the fun in this 
play? 



Much Ado About Nothing 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. Who are the interest- 

ing characters in this scene? 

2. In what attitudes toward each 
other are Beatrice and Benedick 
shown in the opening scene and 
to what are those attitudes due? 

ACT II 

3. Scene 3. What is the purpose of 

the stratagem practiced upon 
Beatrice and Benedick? 

4. What is the cause of Don 
John's perfidy to Claudio? 

ACT IV 

5. Scene 1. How would a modern 

audience respond to a man's 
mortifying an innocent woman 
as Claudio did Hero at the 
altar? 



ACT V 

6. Scene 3. What do you think of 

the church scene and Claudio's 
poem and song? 

7. Scene 4. Comment upon Claudio's 

willingness to marry a masked 
woman. 



GENERAL 

8. Where is the crisis in this play? 

9. Who are the principal charac- 
ters? 

10. Comment on the art with which 
Shakespeare has raised Bene- 
dick and Beatrice to the height 
required for a mutual avowal 
of love after all that has passed 
between them. 



THE SHAKESPEARE 



Love's Labour's Lost 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. What are the terms of 

the oath referred to in this 
scene? 

2. Scene 2. Compare the kinds of 

humorous effect furnished by 
Moth, Costard, and Armando. 
ACT II 

3. Scene 1. How far has the oath 

been kept, when this scene 
closes? 

ACT III 

4. Scene 1. What two errands are 

entrusted to Costard? Has he 
wit enough to keep them 
straight? 

ACT IV 

5. Scene 1. What is there about 

the letter that is characteristic 
of Armado? 



6. What mood are the ladies in? 

7. Scene 2. What is the character 

of Holo femes? 

8. Scene 3. Who are the "Four 

woodcocks in a dish", and why- 
are they called so? 

9. By what line of reasoning does 
Biron justify the breaking of 
their oath? 

ACT V 

10. Scene 1. What is the nature of 

the humor of this scene? 

11. Scene 2. Describe the trick the 

ladies play on the lovers. 

12. How do the "Four Worthies" 
take the way their efforts are 
received? 

13. What is "Love's labor" in the 
play, and how is it "lost"? 



A Midsummer-Night's Dream 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. Explain the relations be- 

tween the four lovers. 

2. Just why does each of the lovers 
go to the forest? 

3. Scene 2. Are these characters to 

be thought of as Athenians? If 
not, do they belong in this play? 

4. What sort of person is Bottom? 

ACT II 

5. Scene 1. Do these fairies make 

you think of Greece, or some 
other country? 

6. What are some of the lines that 
are most fairy-like? 

7. Are they represented with petty 
minds as well as tiny forms? 

8. What is the power of the magic 
plant, and how does Oberon 
mean to have it used? 

9. Scene 2. How seriously are we to 

take this scene? 

10. In this and other scenes, how 
does Puck feel about his mis- 
takes ? 

ACT III 

11. Scene 1. Do the characters in this 

scene know that they are funny? 

12. Show how Titania's fairy dainti- 
ness affects the humor of the 
closing part of the scene. 



13. Scene 2. Explain the confusion of 

the lovers here; how is it to be 
straightened out? 
ACT IV 

14. Scene 1. How far is Bottom 

turned into an ass, and how far 
does he remain his natural self? 

15. Is the hunting party a good ad- 
dition to the play? 

16. When Bottom wakes, how much 
does he remember? 

ACT V 

17. Scene 1. Is Quince's prologue 

nonsense because of the way it 
was written, or of the way he 
recites it, or both? 

18. What absurdities of stage-man- 
agement occur in the mechanics' 
play? 

19. Which of the actors makes the 
funniest blunders in language, 
and what trait of his character 
leads him to make them? 

20. Do the comments of the specta- 
tors have any effect on the ac- 
tors? 

GENERAL 

21. What popular beliefs are con- 
nected with Midsummer Night? 

22. Whose dream is meant — Tita- 
nia's, Bottom's, the lovers', or 
the reader's? 



QUESTION COURSE 



The Merchant of Venice 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. What does this scene 

show of the character, circum- 
stances, and friends of Antonio? 

2. What lines of story-interest are 
suggested in the last few 
speeches ? 

3. Scene 2. What natural, girlish 

things does Portia say? 

4. Has anything been mentioned in 
the play so far that is not per- 
fectly credible? 

5. Scene 3. What lines, scattered 

through this scene, make you 
suspicious of Shylock's apparent 
generosity? 

ACT II 

6. Scene 2. What action or "stage 

business" would take place in 
this scene? 

7. Scenes 3-6. What are the reasons 

for thinking that Shakespeare 
expects us to sympathize with 
Jessica in her elopement? 

8. Scene 7. Does the Prince of Mo- 

rocco choose as you would have 
expected, from his character as 
shown in Scene 1? 

9. Scene 9. At the end of the sec- 

ond act, how far have the love- 
story and the bond-story devel- 
oped, and what should we ex- 
pect to happen next in each? 

ACT III 

10. Scene 1. Balance the best things 
Shylock says in this scene with 



the worst, and decide whether in 
the main we are expected to 
sympathize with him. 

11. Does the elopement of Jessica 
have any effect on the main 
story? 

12. Scene 2. Is this scene more or 

less interesting from the fact 
that we have seen Morocco and 
Arragon choose? 

13. What qualities does Portia show, 
in the various parts of this 
scene ? 

14. Scene 3. What is Portia's plan, 

and in what spirit does she un- 
dertake it? 

ACT IV 

15. Scene 1. Just how far has the 

trial got, when Portia enters? 

16. Why does Shakespeare have 
Portia prolong Antonio's agony 
by letting Shylock go so far 
towards cutting the pound of 
flesh? 

17. Are we expected to take sides 
in this scene for or against 
Shylock? 

18. Would you be willing to have 
the play end with Shylock's 
exit, line 412? 

ACT V 

19. Scene 1. What is the tone of the 

first 100 lines of this scene, as 
compared with Act IV? 

20. In what mood is the audience 
expected to go away? 



As You Like It 



ACT I 6. 

1. Scene 1. Why do people find 

Orlando attractive? 7. 

2. Scene 2. Are you interested in 

Rosalind and Celia? 

3. What points in Rosalind's char- g 
acter are brought out in Scene 

3? 

ACT II 

4. What purpose does Scene 1 9. 

serve ? 

5. Why is the last part of this 10. 
act (beginning with Scene 4) 

so broken up? 

9 



Scene 5. What are your first 
impressions of Jaques? 
Practically everybody knows 
one of the speeches in Scene 7. 
Find it. 

Why does it make such an im- 
pression? 

ACT III 

Pick out the things you partic- 
ularly like in Scene 2. 
Do you think it reasonable that 
Orlando should not recognize 
Rosalind? 



THE SHAKESPEARE 



11. What are the differences be- 18. 
tween Audrey, Phoebe, Silvius, 
Rosalind and Celia? 19. 

12. How has Shakespeare made 

these differences clear? 

20 
ACT IV 

13. Does this first scene seem nat- 



ural? 



21. 



14. In what spirit should it be no 
played? 

15. Would Orlando's rescue of his 
brother have been more inter- 
esting had it been shown on 

the stage? 23 

16. Does Oliver guess Rosalind's 
sex when she swoons? 

ACT V 24 - 

17. Why doesn't Rosalind reveal 25. 
her identity to her father 26. 
sooner? 



Are you prepared for the con- 
version of Duke Frederick? 
Does it seem more or less rea- 
sonable than the reformation of 
Oliver? 

Is the final decision of Jaques 
to remain in the forest appro- 
priate to his character? 
Why? 

In the epilogue why does Rosa- 
lind say, "If I were a wom- 
an "? 

GENERAL 

What makes this one of the 
most popular of Shakespeare's 
plays? 

What scenes do you like best? 
What speeches do you like best? 
What speeches are worth mem- 
orizing? 



The Taming of the Shrew 



INDUCTION 

1. Describe Christopher Sly. 

2. Outline the induction. 

3. In what frame of mind would 
this induction put an audi- 
ence? 

ACT I 

4. What part of the story is told 
in Scene 1? 

5. Why has Petruchio come to 
Padua? 

6. How does he receive Horten- 
sio's suggestion about Kathar- 



ACT II 

7. Scene 1. Describe the comedy ele- 
ments in this scene. 

8. What effect would the first meet- 
ing of Petruchio and Kate pro- 
duce on the stage? 

9. What does Baptista say con- 
cerning his daughter Bianca's 
suitors ? 



ACT III 

10. Scene 1. Describe the Latin les- 

son and the waiting music 
teacher. 

11. Scene 2. How must Kate have 

felt when her fiance arrived for 
the wedding? 

12. How did Kate accept her first 
"taming" ? 

ACT IV 

13. How is the love-story of Bianca 
progressing? 

14. What part does the pedant 
play? 

ACT V 

15. How does the story progress? 

16. Was the use of disguised identi- 
ties a favorite device of Shake- 
speare? Where has he used it 
in this play? 

GENERAL 

17. What is the strength of this 
play? 

18. What is its weakness? Is the 
interest maintained throughout? 



10 



QUESTION COURSE 



AlPs Well That Ends Well 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. Define the sorrow which 

Helena says she affects and that 
which she says she has. 

2. Scene 3. Is the clown an "idiot", 

silly by nature", or an "arti- 
ficial" clown? 
8. Is the Countess sincere in 
what she says to Helena? 

ACT II 

4. Scene 3. Does Bertram appear 

in a favorable light in this 
scene? Why? 

5. How would Helena act during 
lines 109-155? 

6. In what respect is Helena ar- 
rogant ? 

ACT III 

7. Scene 4. What is your attitude 

toward Helena's action? 

8. Scene 5. Is your interest in the 

story any greater? Why? 

ACT IV 

9. Scene 2. Can you explain lines 

20-31? 



10. Scene 3. What dramatic pur- 

pose is served by this examina- 
tion of Parolles? 

ACT V 

11. Scene 3. What does Bertram 

do that makes him seem even 
more unworthy? 

12. Tell the whole story of the two 

rings. Is your opinion of Hel- 
ena affected by the fact that 
she does the wooing? 

GENERAL 

13. One Shakesperian scholar says 
the heroine of this play is 
Shakespeare's "loveliest crea- 
tion." Do you agree? Why? 

14. Does Helena enlist your sym- 
pathies? Why? 

15. Has Bertram redeeming quali- 
ties? 

16. What is the central theme of 
this play? 



Twelfth Night; or, What You Will 



ACT I 9. 

1. What dramatic purpose does 
Shakespeare effect in the open- 
ing lines of the play? 

2. In scene one, what information 
is given concerning the Duke? 
Concerning Olivia? -.q 

3. Why did Olivia take service 
under the Duke? 

4. What revelation of himself does 11. 
Sir Toby make in Scene 3? 12. 

5. Does Sir Andrew fit the de- 
scription given by Sir Toby and 
Maria? 

13 

6. Does Scene 3 introduce a new 

element into the play? , . 

7. Does Viola's position in the 
opinion of the Duke come as a 
surprise? (Scene 4.) 

8. In the fifth scene does Viola 15. 
aid the Duke in his wooing? 

11 



Does this situation remind you 
of another of Shakespeare's 
plays in which a woman falls 
in love with another woman dis- 
guised as a man? 

ACT II 

Scene 1. Why does Sebastian 
mention his resemblance to 
Viola? 

W T hat is the purpose of Scene 3? 
In Scene 4 what dramatic pur- 
pose does the clown's comment 
on the Duke's changeableness 
serve? 

Do you enjoy the fifth scene? 
Why? 

What mental quality does Mal- 
volio lack? 

ACT III 

Was Olivia unmaidenly in de- 
claring her love for Viola? 



THE SHAKESPEARE 



16. 



17. 



18. 



19. 



20. 



21. 



22. 



23. 



24. 



Are you less interested in her 

because she did? 

Is your interest further aroused 

by* Scene 2? 

Does the episode of the duel 

appeal to you as humorous? 

To whom is Viola talking just 

after Antonio's exit in Scene 4? 

ACT IV 

How is the plot further compli- 
cated by Scene 1? 
Why does Olivia invite Sebas- 
tian to her house? 
Do you find the second scene 
humorous ? Why ? 



25. 



26. 



27. 



28. 



29. 



ACT V 

What character clears up the **0. 

action of the play? 

How does Olivia act when she 

learns she has married an utter 31. 

stranger? 



What do you think of her at 

this point? 

Does the sudden transfer of the 

Duke's affections to Viola seem 

natural? 

What becomes of the other 

characters — especially Malvolio, 

Sir Toby, and Sir Andrew? 

GENERAL 

Does the confusion of identity 
remind you of another of 
Shakespeare's plays? 
Is the Duke's character pre- 
sented consistently throughout 
the play? 

Does the clown serve any other 
purpose than that of creating 
humor? 

Did you enjoy the reading? 
Why? 



The Winter's Tale 



ACT I 

1. Scene 2. Did Leontes have any 

cause for jealousy here? 

2. What does he order Camillo to 
do? 

3. Does he execute the order? 

ACT II 

4. Scene 1. What do the lords and 

ladies think of the queen? 

5. Does she act as a guilty woman 
would be expected to act? 

6. What does Leontes expect to 
learn from the Oracle? 

7. Scene 3. Is Leontes becoming 

more suspicious? 





ACT III 


8. 


Scene 2. How does the Oracle 
affect Leontes? 


9. 


What misfortunes follow? 


](). 


What is the king's attitude? 


11. 


What is the meaning of the 
name Perdita? 



ACT IV 

12. Scene 4. In what ways is Perdita 

made superior to her surround- 
ings ? 

13. Do you like the love story of 
this act? Why? 

ACT V 

14. Scene 1. Sixteen years have 

passed. Has the character of 
Leontes changed? 

15. Scene 3. Do you think Hermione 

should have forgiven Leontes so 
readily? 

16. Do you like this act? Why? 

GENERAL 

17. Which character is made most 
important in this play? 

18. On what incident is the action 
of the whole play based? 

19. Compare Perdita with Miranda 
in The Tempest. 



QUESTION COURSE 



The Life and Death of King John 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. What message comes 

from France? 

2. What quality does the reader 
admire in Philip? 

3. Can you account for Philip's 
wish to be known as the ille- 
gitimate son of Richard Coeur- 
de-Lion? 

ACT II 

4. Scene 1. Does this situation seem 

natural; the discussion between 
Ellinor and Constance while all 
the men are waiting? 

5. How do you account for both 
the French and the English 
claiming the victory of Angiers? 
lines 300-312. 

6. How is the question finally set- 
tled? 

7. What are the principal thoughts 
in the bastard's soliloquy? 

ACT III 

8. Scene 1. What are your feelings 

toward Constance? 



9. What are her predominating 
characteristics ? 

10. Does King Philip succeed in 
pacifying her? 

11. Why does the bastard keep re- 
iterating, "And hang a calf's- 
skin on his recreant limbs" to 
Austria? 

12. Scene 3. What do you think of 

John's instructions to Hubert 
regarding the death of young 
Arthur? 

13. Scene 4. Is this a good picture 

of maternal agony? 

ACT IV 

14. Scene 1. Would such a scene as 

this find place in a modern play? 
Why? 

ACT V 

15. Scene 6. Was the cause of John's 

death a surprise? 

GENERAL 

16. Point out the reasons for say- 
ing that the imprisonment of 
Arthur was the turning point 
in John's fortunes. 



The Tragedy of King Richard II 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. Which character inter- 

ests you the most? 

2. Why? 

3. What important information is 
given the reader in Scene 4? 

(See lines 23-36.) 

ACT II 



10. 



11. 



12. 



4. Scene 1. What do you think of 

the king's attitude toward the 13. 
dying John of Gaunt? 

5. What will come of Richard's 14. 
action in seizing the property 

of John of Gaunt? 15. 

6. Where in Act. II is the first 
suggestion of coming trouble? 

7. Are you attracted to Boling- ^6. 
broke in this act? 

8. Why? 17. 

13 



ACT III 

Scene 1. When Richard receives 
the news brought by Salisbury 
and by Scroop does he act as 
you would expect him to? 
Does he act in a kingly manner 
in Scene 3? 

ACT IV 

Do you find this act interest- 
ing? 

Are your sympathies with Rich- 
ard or with Bolingbroke? 
Why? 

ACT V 
Scene 5. What is your opinion of 
Richard's soliloquy? 
Does Bolingbroke deal justly 
with Exton ? 

GENERAL 

Compare the two characters, 
Richard and Bolingbroke. 
Which deserved the kingdom? 



THE SHAKESPEARE 



The First Part of King Henry IV 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. What was Henry pre- 

paring to do when news was 
brought of the fighting in Wales 
and also in the North? 

2. What comparison does the King 
make between Hotspur and his 
own son ? 

3. Scene 2. How do you account 

for the fact that an audience 
of Shakespeare's day would sit 
through a scene like this and 
a modern audience would not? 
Is it interesting to you? 

4. Scene 3. Comment upon Shake- 

speare's power of description 
after reading this speech of 
Hotspur's — lines 30-70. To 
whom does Hotspur probably 
refer ? 

5. Why did the King refuse to 
ransom Mortimer? 

ACT II 

6. What are the important points 
in this act? 



7. Scene 2. How does Shakespeare 

bring Prince Henry into a fa- 
vorable light? 

ACT IV 

8. Scene 3. How does Hotspur 

justify himself and his com- 
rades for this war? 
ACT V 

9. Scene 2. Why was Hotspur not 

informed of the King's offer? 

10. Scene 4. Why was Hotspur's 

death necessary for the action 
of the play? 

11. Scene 5. What generous act 

does Prince Harry perform? 

12. Is this sudden conversion of 
Prince Henry a natural transi- 
tion from boyhood to manhood, 
or does the author do this to 
make a spectacular ending for 
his play? 

GENERAL 

13. What criticism would you offer 
of the play as a whole? 

14. Give a critical estimate of the 
part Falstaff plays in the whole 
production. 



The Second Part of King Henry IV 



ACT I 7. 

1. Scene 1. Why does Bardolph 

give Northumberland false re- 
ports of Shrewsbury? 

2. What effect does the real news 8. 
have upon him? 

3. Scene 2. Of what value to the 

play is this scene? 
ACT II 

4. Scene 2. How do you account for „ 

Prince Henry's being willing 
to disguise himself to wait upon 
Falstaff? 

ACT III 10 - 

5. Scene 1. What effect does being an 

onlooker instead of a partici- 
pator in such a revel have upon 
Prince Harry? 11. 

ACT IV 

6. Scene 3. Would a modern audi- 12. 

ence accept such treachery as 
John committed? 

14 



Scene 5. Why does the Prince re- 
move the crown from his fath- 
er's pillow? What does the 
King think is the reason? 
Would a dying man be able to 
make such a long speech? Was 
he not jealous of his crown? 

ACT V 

Scene 2. How do you account 
for Henry V's retaining his 
father's chief justice? 

Scene 5. What happened to Fal- 
staff? 

GENERAL 

What purpose does the induc- 
tion serve? The Epilogue? 
What do you think of the sec- 
ond part of Henry IV as com- 
pared with the first part? 



QUESTION COURSE 



The Life of King Henry V 



ACT I 14 - 

1. In what way does the first pro- 
logue give the keynote of the 
play? 

2. Why are prologues employed in 

this play? 15 ' 

3. Was Henry ignorant of the de- 16 
tails given in this act? 

4. Why are they given so fully? 

5. Do you like Henry's reply to 

the French Ambassadors? 17. 

6. Why? 

ACT II 18. 

7. What is the substance of the 
prologue? 

8. Scene 1. Can you describe the 19. 

personal appearance of these 
characters from their conversa- 20. 
tion? 

9. Why were such characters in- rv 
troduced in the play? 

10. What does Henry do in this 
act to compel your respect? 

11. What is the dramatic purpose 23. 
of Scene 4? 



24. 



ACT III 

12. From what Chorus says in this 
prologue can you tell what is 25 
to happen in this act? 

13. Do you like Henry's speeches 26 
before Harfleur? 



Contrast the speeches of the 
French king with those of 
Henry. 

ACT IV 

Note what Chorus tells you in 
the prologue. 

Does Henry's talks with his sol- 
diers and his subsequent solilo- 
quy serve any dramatic pur- 
pose? 

Do you think the practical joke 
Henry plays on Williams would 
naturally follow the battier 
What purpose does it serve? 

ACT V 

What purpose does this pro- 
logue serve? 

What becomes of the comedy 
characters? 

Do you like Henry as a lover? 
Is there a real reason for giv- 
ing the epilogue? 

GENERAL 

In what ways does this play 
differ from others you have 
read? 

To what type of drama does it 
belong? 

Are you attracted by the char- 
acter of Henry? 
Which prologue do you like 
best? Why? 



The First Part of King Henry VI 



ACT I 6. 

1. Scene 1. Can you tell from this 7. 

scene what the story of this 
play is to be? 8. 

2. Scene 2. What are your impres- 

sions of Joan La Pucelle? 

3. Scene 3. What do you learn of 

the characters and ambitions of q 
Winchester and Gloucester? 

4. Scene 5. What do you think of 

Talbot's speeches? *"• 

ACT II 

5. Scene 1. Do you think this scene 

treats English and French im- 11. 
partially? 

15 



Why? 
Scenes 4 and 5. What do you 
think of Warwick? 
What do you think of Richard 
Plantagenent? 

ACT III 

Scene 1. What special speech is 
prophetic? 

Is Shakespeare fair to the 
French in this act? 

ACT IV 

What are the important events 
of this act? 



THE SHAKESPEARE 



12. 



13. 



11, 



ACT V 

Are your sympathies aroused by 
the fate of Joan of Arc? 
Why? 

GENERAL 

What is Shakespeare's attitude 
toward Henry VI as developed 



in the portrayal of his character 
throughout the play? 

15. Was the policy of the Bishop 
of Winchester selfish? 

16. Why did Shakespeare make the 
Joan of Arc of this play so dif- 
ferent from the Joan of Arc of 
history ? 



The Second Part of King Henry VI 



ACT I 

1. What passages in this act fore- 
shadow events found in Act II? 

2. Scene 1. Why is the fact that 

Margaret had no dowry impor- 
tant? 

3. Scene 2. Do the people know 

Suffolk is their enemy? 
ACT II 

4. Scene 1. The speeches seem to 

be but light conversation; have 
they deeper significance? 

5. Scene 4. Do you pity the Duch- 

ess of Gloucester? Why? 
ACT III 

6. Scene 1. What are your feelings 

toward the Queen? 

7. Toward Gloucester? 

8. What do you think of the king? 



ACT IV 

9. What is the most important epi- 
sode in this act? 

10. Why is it important? 

ACT V 

11. Scene 1. What do you think of 

York's first speech? 

12. Scenes 1 and 2. Are his actions 

equal to his words? 

13. Scene 2. Why does Shakespeare 

have York kill Clifford? 
GENERAL 

14. Is this the story of the for- 
tunes of one man or is it more 
the story of events and men? 

15. Was Margaret justified in her 
opinion of her husband? 

16. Is this second part of Henry VI 
developed from part one? 



The Third Part of King Henry VI 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. Does King Henry act as 

vou would expect the son of 
Henry the Fifth to act? 

2. Scene 2. What do you think of 

Richard's argument? (lines 22- 
34.) 

ACT II 

3. Scenes 1 and 2. Are your sympa- 

thies with Edward, Richard, and 
Warwick, or with King Henry, 
Queen Margaret, and Clifford? 
Why? 

4. Scene 5. What is the real nature 

of King Henry? Is he a cow- 
ard? 

ACT III 

5. Scene 2. What evidence is given 

in this scene that Edward's 
character was understood? 
ACT IV 

6. Summarize the important events 
in this act. 



10. 



11. 



12. 



13. 



16 



ACT V 

Scene 4. What is your opinion of 

Queen Margaret's speech? (lines 

1-38.) 
Scene 5. In what respects is 

Prince Edward different from 

his father? 

Do you find a suggestion in this 

scene of the murder of King 

Henry? 



GENERAL 

How closely connected are the 
three parts of the play? 
Have you been interested 
throughout the three parts? 
Why? 

Do you think a modern audi- 
ence would be interested by the 
play? Why? 

Richard appears in another 
play. What do you expect? 



QUESTION COURSE 



The Tragedy of King Richard III 



Scene 1. What makes this first 
speech of Richard, Duke of 
Gloucester, one of the famous 
speeches of Shakespeare? 

Scene 4. Are your sympathies 
aroused by this scene? 
Why? 

ACT II 

Scene 2. What is the purpose of 
scene between the Duchess of 
York and her grandchildren? 
Why is the third scene intro- 
duced? 

ACT III 

Scene 4. Is the last speech of 
Hastings important? 
Why? 

Scene 7. What advice does Buck- 
ingham offer Richard? 

ACT IV 
What purpose does Scene 3 



10. Scene 4. What feelings are 

aroused by this scene? 
ACT V 

11. Scene 3. Why are the ghosts in- 

troduced in this scene? 

12. Could they be used in a modern 
play? 

13. Scene 4. Is the last speech of 

Richard in keeping with his 
manner of living? 

GENERAL 

14. When is your interest in the 
outcome of the story first 
aroused? 

15. What causes it? 

16. Do Richard's deformities have 
any bearing upon his actions? 

17. Would Richard's motives have 
been clear enough without his 
many soliloquies? 

18. Why was this play popular in 
Shakespeare's day? 



The Famous History of the Life of King Henry VIII 



12. 



ACT I 10. 

Scene 1. What do you learn con- 
cerning Cardinal Wolsey in this 
scene? 

Scene 2. What important hap- 
pening marks this scene? 

Scene 4. What is the object of 11. 
this scene? 

ACT II 

Scene 1. How does Shakespeare 
treat Buckingham's case? 
Why did the Cardinal wish to I 3 
get rid of Buckingham? 

Scene 2. What reason does the 
King give for wanting to di- 
vorce Katharine? What was 14 
the real cause? 

Scene 3. What dramatic situa- 
tion does the author give at the ig 
beginning of this scene? 

Scene 4. Read Katherine's de- 
fence carefully and comment *" 
upon it; why is it regarded as 
one of the finest things Shake- 
speare has done? 

Scene 4. Lines 134-140. Does 
this speech of Henry's atone in 17 
any manner for his action? 

17 



Does Henry's speech freeing 
Cardinal Wolsey from suggest- 
ing the divorce, exonerate Wol- 
sey? 

ACT III 

Scene 2. Describe Wolsey's atti- 
tude in regard to Henry's mar- 
riage to Anne Bullen. 
What is the cause of Wolsey's 
downfall? 

Why have many memorized 
this speech? Lines 350-372. 

ACT IV 

Scene 1. By whom is the queen's 
coronation described? Give a 
brief description. 

Scene 2. Comment upon the 
death scene of Katharine. 
How does this act show that 
wonderful ability of Shakespeare 
to put scenes in effective order? 

ACT V 

What is the chief event in this 
act? 



THE SHAKESPEARE 



18. 



19. 



What was the reason for the 
plot against Canterbury? 
Shakespeare is said to have 
been an accomplished courtier. 
How is this shown to be true 
in scene 5? 



20. 



21. 



GENERAL 

What do you think of this plaj 
as compared with Henry IV? 
Give a description of Henrj 
VIII gained from reading this 
play. 



Troilus and Cressida 



1. What do you learn from the pro- 
logue? 

ACT I 

2. Do you get the impression that 
the characters are Greeks and 
Trojans? Why? 

ACT II 

3. Scene 3. How is the character of 

Ajax set forth? What is it? 

4. Are vou interested in the piay? 
Why? 

ACT III 

5. Scene 2. By what means does 

Shakespeare suggest that Cres- 
sida's love is not real? 

6. Scene 3. Is the nationality of the 

characters made more evident 
in this scene? How? 



ACT IV 

7. Scene 4. How has Cressida shown 

her character in this scene? 

8. Scene 5. Was Ulysses justified in 

saying what he did about Cres- 
sida? Why? 

9. What important developments 
does this act show? 

ACT V 

10. What does Shakespeare do to en- 
list your sympathies for Hector: 

GENERAI/ 

11. Has the play good qualities: 
What are they? 

12. Is the end of the play satisfac- 
tory? Why? 

13. Has Shakespeare made vice at- 
tractive? 



Coriolanus 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. Is the reasoning of the 

first citizen correct? 

2. Describe the character of Caius 
Marius as portrayed in this 
scene. 

3. Does he have the sympathy of 
the reader? 

4. Scene 3. Does this scene which 

is such a contrast to the for- 
mer and the succeeding ones 
throw much light on the play? 

5. Why is it introduced? 

6. Scene 6. Is Commenius por- 
trayed as a leader of men? 

7. Scene 9. Why was Marcius called 

Coriolanus? lines 61-68. 



ACT II 

8. Scene 1. What is there in these 
two long speeches of Menenius 
that calls forth praise from 14 
many critics? lines 50-110. 

18 



9. 



10. 



11. 



12. 



13. 



ACT III 

Scene 2. What do you think of 
Volumnia's reasoning? 

ACT IV 

Scene 7. What does this scene be- 
tween Aufidius and his lieuten- 
ant signify? 

ACT V 

Scene 3. Is the speech of Volum- 
nia in the same strain as her 
former speeches? 

Scene 6. Does Coriolanus de- 
serve his tragic end? 

GENERAL 

What do you think of this play 

as compared with Julius 

Caesar? 

What is the underlying note of 

the whole play? 



QUESTION COURSE 



Titus Andronicus 



ACT I 



1. What effect has war had upon 
the character of Titus? 

ACT III 

2. Are there speeches or actions 
in this act which approach the 
heroic? 

8. Is the madness of Titus real 
or feigned? Give reasons. 



ACT V 

4. Does Shakespeare intend to 
show that the innocent as well 
as the guilty are sacrificed 
through revenge? Is this gen- 
erally true in life? 

GENERAL 

5. Many doubt that Shakespeare 
was the author of this play. 
Can you assign reasons for 
their doubt? 



Romeo and Juliet 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. What persons appear, or 

are mentioned, in the street- 
brawl scene, that one should re- 
member? 

2. What does the concluding line of 
Benvolio lead us to expect in 
later scenes? 

3. Scene 3. What is your first im- 

pression of Romeo? Note 
whether there is a change when 
he meets Juliet. 

4. What events in the play are pre- 
pared for in this scene? 

5. Scene 4. What sort of woman is 

the nurse, and what seems to be 
her standing in the family? 

6. Scene 5. Is Mercutio's speech 

about the fairies introduced sim- 
ply for its own wit and poetic 
charm, or has it some connec- 
tion with the scene? 

7. From this scene and Scene 1, do 
you take sides with either the 
Capulets or the Montagues, or 
remain neutral? 

8. At the end of this act, have 
any elements of possible tragedy 
appeared? 

ACT II 

9. Scene 2. What does this scene 

gain in power from the time and 
place? 



10. Scenes 4 and 5. Does the nurse 

show herself in any new light? 

ACT III 

11. Scene 1. Whose fault was the 

quarrel? 

12. What course might the story 
have taken if it had not been 
for this quarrel? 

13. Scene 3. Trace the changes in 

Romeo's emotions during this 
scene. 

14. Scene 4. Compare the treatment 

that Juliet receives at the hands 
of her father, her mother, and 
her nurse. 

ACT IV 

15. Scenes 1 and 3. What is Friar 

Lawrence's plan, and how fully 
does Juliet believe in it? 



16. 



17. 



18. 



19. 



ACT V 

Why did Friar Lawrence's plan 
fail? 

Is it dramatically effective to 
have the scene between Romeo 
and Paris? 

Would you have been satisfied 
if Juliet had revived in time to 
bring about a happy ending? 
What is the value of the con- 
cluding scene, after Juliet dies? 



10 



THE SHAKESPEARE 



Timon, of Athens 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. What does one conclude 

about the character of Timon 
in the first scene? 

2. Scenes 1 and 2. Why is Ape- 

mantus introduced so early in 
the play? 

3. Scene 2. Is there any sign of dis- 

aster foretold here? 

ACT II 

4. Scenes 2 and 3. Why do these 

servants of Timon's creditors 
come to Timon now? 

5. Do they show the attitude of 
their masters in any way? 

ACT III 

6. Scene 1. How does Lucullus show 

that he is a coward? 

7. Scene 2. What has Timon done 

for Lucius? How do you ac- 
count for Lucius's refusal? 

8. Scene 3. What excuse does Sem- 

pronius give for not complying 
with Timon's request? 

9. What was the real motive for 
all these refusals? 



10. Scene 5. Why does the Senate 

banish Alcibiades? 

11. Scene 6. What do the lords say 

to each other before Timon's 
entrance? 

12. What do you think of Timon's 
second banquet as a stage de- 
vice? 

ACT IV 

13. Scene 1. Had Timon cause to 

deliver such a speech? 

14. Scene 3, line 173. Timon to Alci- 

biades— "Yes, thou spokest well 
of me." To what does this re- 
fer? 

15. What is the difference between 
Timon and Apemantus? 

ACT V 

16. Is Timon insane? 

17. What does he say to the Sena- 
tors? 

What compromise does Alcibia- 
des make with the citv of 
Athens? 

GENERAL 
With what other play of Shake- 
speare would you compare this? 



18 



19. 



Julius Caesar 



ACT I 

1. Scene 2. Are you attracted to 9 

Caesar upon his first entrance? 
Why? 10 

2. What means does Shakespeare 
employ to belittle the character n 
of Julius Caesar? 

3. What is the purpose of the 12 
shouts and flourishes while Bru- 
tus and Cassius are talking? 



ACT III 



13. 



ACT II 



14. 



4. Whose judgment is best in re- 
gard to Antony, Cassius's or 
Brutus's? 

5. Are there other evidences of 
Brutus's judgment in this first ,„ 
scene? I 5 

6. Do lines 229 to 308 give you 
further light on Brutus's char- 16 
acter? 

7. Does Caesar appear to advan- 17 
tage in Scene 2? 

8. What is the dramatic purpose 
of Scene 4? 

20 



What are the effects of Caesar's 
speeches up to line 75, Scene 1? 
Why is the question Cassius ad- 
dresses to Trebonius significant? 

Scene 1. Does Antony suggest 
what he intends to do? 
Is another case of poor judg- 
ment shown in this scene? 

Scene 2. Can you explain the 
reason for having Brutus speak 
in prose and Antony in poetry? 
What is the dramatic purpose 
of Scene 3? 

ACT IV 

Does the first scene change your 
opinion of Antony? 

How does the third scene ad- 
vance the story? 
What are the causes of the 
quarrel between Brutus and 
Cassius and what are the rea- 
sons for the reconciliation? 



QUESTION COURSE 



23. 



24. 



25. 



8. Why did Portia kill herself? 

9. Why did Cassius yield to Bru- 
tus in the matter of choosing 
the battleground on which to 
meet their enemies? 

ACT V 

0. Trace carefully the progress of 

the battle through this act. 26. 

1. Is there any point at which the 
play could end before it does? 27. 

2. How does Brutus die? 



What does Antony say of Bru- 
tus? 
Is he justified in saying it? 

GENERAL 
Is that part of the play which 
precedes the speech of Antony, 
or that which follows it, the 
more interesting? 
What are the real causes of 
Brutus's failure? 
In what respect is Cassius 
shown to be superior to Brutus? 



Macbeth 



ACT I 

1. Scenes 1 and 3. What is the dra- 13. 

matic function of the Weird 
sisters in this play? 

2. In how many ways are you in- *■'*' 
terested in Macbeth before he 
appears? ^* 

3. What are the first words ut- 
tered by Macbeth and what is ,g 
their dramatic significance? 

i. Scene 3. What warning does 

Banquo give Macbeth after 17. 

Ross has addressed the latter 
as Thane of Cawdor? 
5. What does Macbeth tell Lady ^g 

Macbeth in the letter? 
3. How does Lady Macbeth de- 19. 

scribe her husband? 
r. What revelation does she make 

of her own character in the two 20. 

soliloquies in the fifth scene? 

Is it the same revelation she 21. 

makes of herself to Macbeth a 

moment later? 

no 

3. Scene 6. What is the dramatic 
purpose of the comments of 
Duncan and Banquo concerning 
Macbeth's Castle? 



). Scene 7. What are Macbeth's 

reasons for not killing Duncan? 

What is his only reason for 

doing it? 
). How does Lady Macbeth urge 

him on? 

1. Who is the real and primal 
cause of the murder? 

2. Was Lady 1 Macbeth's motive 27. 
ambition or wifely devotion? 

21 



24. 



25. 



26. 



ACT II 

Scene 1. To what does Banquo 
refer: "Restrain in me the 
cursed thoughts," etc.? 
How has Shakespeare con- 
trasted Banquo and Macbeth? 

Scene 2. Why does Lady Mac- 
beth say she did not kill Dun- 
can? 

Why did Lady Macbeth, instead 
of Macbeth, take back the dag- 
gers? 

Why do Malcolm and Donal- 
bain flee? 

ACT III 

Scene 1. What is the dramatic 
purpose of Banquo's soliloquy? 
Has any change taken place in 
Macbeth since the murder of 
the King? 

Does he hesitate about the mur- 
der of Banquo? 
What is the effect on Macbeth 
of the appearance of Banquo's 
ghost? 

Why does Macbeth determine 
to kill Macduff and his family? 
Is there any reason for Mal- 
colm's delivering such a tirade 
against himself? 
How does Macduff receive the 
news of the killing of his fam- 
ACT V 

Scene 1. Describe Lady Mac- 
beth's sleep walking. 

Scene 5. How does Macbeth re- 
ceive the news of Lady Mac- 
beth's death ? 

Scene 8. What caused Macbeth 
to lose courage at the last? 



THE SHAKESPEARE 



. 



28. Scene 8. How was the last 

part of the Weird Sisters' 
prophecy proved to Macbeth? 

GENERAL 

29. Where is the crisis in this play? 
Why? 

30. Where ends Lady Macbeth's 
part in the tragedy? 



31. 



32. 



33. 



34. 



What makes this one of Shake- 
speare's famous plays? 
This play is full of famous 
lines. Do you find any you 
would like to memorize? 
Why are Macbeth, Hamlet, the 
Merchant of Venice, and Julius 
Caesar the best known plays? 
Why are they now acted more 
often than the others? 



Hamlet, Prince of Denmark 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. How far do you read 

before you find your interests 
aroused? 

2. How are the events of past 
months presented? 

3. Is there a particular reason 
why the Ghost should reserve 
its information for Hamlet? 

4. Enumerate the different ways 
in which the character of Ham- 
let is shown in this act. 

5. Scene 3. What characteristics 

does Polonius display in his 
scene with Laertes? 

6. Scene 4. Do you find yourself 

interested in this scene? 

7. Why? 

8. Scene 5. Has Hamlet sufficient 

reason for feigning madness? 

9. Do you think he does? 

ACT II 

10. Scene 1. By what devices is the 

character of Polonius further 
revealed ? 

11. Summarize all the scenes be- 
tween Hamlet, Rosencrantz, 
and Guildenstern. 

12. Make a list of Hamlet's actions 
which help the impression that 
he is mad. 

13. Trace the development of the 
idea of Hamlet to make use of 
the players. 

ACT III 

14. Does this first scene show Ham- 
let's mental condition? 

15. Does Hamlet know he is being 
observed? 



16. 
17. 
18. 

19. 
20. 

21. 
22. 



23. 



24. 



25. 



26. 



27. 

28. 
29. 

30. 



If so when does he make the 

discovery? 

What is your judgment of 

Ophelia at the end of Scene 1? 

Is it natural that the play- 
scene should produce the effect 
it does upon the king? 
Give your reasons. 
Scene 4. Does Gertrude know 
that her first husband was mur- 
dered? 

Make a list of the evidence on 
both sides. 

Is the ghost in this scene real 
or the creation of Hamlet's 
mind? 

ACT IV 

What effect does the death of 
Polonius have upon the king? 
What lines through Ophelia's 
mad scenes are reminiscent of 
her love and grief? 
Scene 5. Characterize the feelings 
of Laertes as shown in his scene 
with the king. 

Does the effect of the king's 
suggestion on Laertes seem na 
ural? 



' 



ACT V 

Scene 1. Does this comedy ele- 
ment seem out of place? 
Why? 

Do Laertes and Hamlet act 
naturally? 

Does your interest remain at 
high pitch until the very end 
of the play? 



2-2 



QUESTION COURSE 



GENERAL 

Contrast Hamlet with Laertes. 

What is the main theme of the 
tragedy? 

What is the most interesting 
scene in the play? 

What makes it so ? 

What scene is second in point 
of interest? 



86. Why has this play been pro- 
duced so many times? 

37. Gather all the evidence given in 
the play that Hamlet was mad. 

38. Gather all the evidence in the 
play that he was not mad. 

39. Are you attracted towards 
Ophelia? 

40. What is your explanation of 
Hamlet's weakness of charac- 
ter? 



ACT I 



King Lear 

13. 



Scene 1. Is Lear's demand of an 
expression of love from each l^. 
daughter likely to bring honest 
answers? 



How are we to account for 
Cordelia's answer? 

What is the character of Kent? 

Can you foresee, at the conclu- 
sion of this scene; anything of 
the course of the play? 

Scene 2. Does Gloucester's treat- 
ment of his two sons at all ac- 
count for their attitude? 

Scenes 3, 4, 5. How far has Lear 
a just right to think himself 
ungratefully treated? 

What true friends has he, and 
how do they show their friend- 
ship? 

ACT II 

Is Kent in any respects like 
Lear himself? 

Trace the growing cruelty of 
Regan and Goneril. 

ACT III 



15. 



16. 



17. 



18. 



19. 



21. 



22. 



23. 



How has the kingdom prospered 24. 
under Albany and Cornwall? 

What is the dramatic effect of 
the storm? 

Is Edgar really mad? If not, 25. 
how do you account for his 
actions and words ? 

23 



How is the King's mind af- 
fected? 

By what steps has Gloucester 
been led to his betrayal? 

ACT IV 

What is the dramatic effect of 
the meeting of Gloucester and 
Edgar? 

What is the effect on Goneril 
and her husband of the news of 
Gloucester's fate? 

Describe the Dover Cliff inci- 
dent. 

Describe the restoration of 
Lear's sanity. 

Why should not the play go on 
from this point to a happy end- 
ing? 

ACT V 

How does Albany learn of the 
treachery of his wife and Ed- 
mund? 

Do you find any difference in 
character between Regan and 
Goneril? 

Account for the fate of Cor- 
delia. 

What is the last impression you 
have of the old King? 

GENERAL 

In what form does Poetic Jus- 
tice manifest itself in the cases 
of Lear and Gloucester? 



THE SHAKESPEARE 



Othello, the Moor of Venice 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. What reason does Iago 

give for his hating Othello? 

2. What motive is behind Roderi- 

go's acts ? 

3. Scene 2. What characteristics 

does Othello show here? 

4. Scene 3. What waS the magic 

by which Othello won Desde- 
mona? 

5. Is Othello a negro? 

6. What do you think of Iago's 
advice to Roderigo? 

ACT II 

7. Scene 1. In what ways does the 

villainy of Iago appear? 

8. Scene 3. How does the brawl 

come about, and what is its 
consequence ? 

ACT III 

9. Scene 3. By what steps does 

Iago suggest jealousy to Othel- 
lo? 

10. Is Othello too easily convinced? 

11. Why is the handkerchief made 
so important? 

ACT IV 

12. Scene 1. Who is Bianca, and 

how is she used in Iago's plot? 

13. What conflicting emotions is 
Othello a prey to on the ar- 
rival of Lodovico? 

14. Scene 2. How does Desdemona 

bear herself throughout this 
scene ? 



his 



15. What touches throughout t 
scene bring out the innocence 
of Desdemona? 

ACT V 

16. Scene 1. Explain Iago's reasons 

for bringing about the street- 
fight in which Roderigo attacks 
Cassio. Explain his reasons for 
his actions through the scene. 

17. Scene 2. What is Othello's mood 

at the opening of the scene? 

18. What does Desdemona say that 
enrages him? 

19. What sort of character does 
Emilia show, in comparison 
with earlier scenes ? 

20. What lines of Othello most just- 
ly describe himself? 

21. Do Othello and Desdemona 
suffer because of any faults or 
weaknesses of their own, or 
purely through the evil intent 
of others? 



GENERAL 

22. In this play Shakespeare por- 
trays the passion of jealousy 
as developed in a wicked man 
and in a frank, good man. 
Make a comparative study of 
Iago and Othello from this 
viewpoint. 

23. Macaulay said of this play: 
"Othello is, perhaps, the great- 
est work in the world." Do you 
agree with him? Why? 

24. Can you discover the elements 
in the play which caused Mac- 
aulay to make this statement? 



24 



QUESTION COURSE 



Antony and Cleopatra 



ACT I 



22. 



1. Scene 1. What does Philo think 

of Antony's love for Cleopatra? 

2. Describe Cleopatra's beauty. „. 
Do you see her as light or dark? 

3. Do you think of her as being 
exceedingly beautiful? 9K 

4. Scene 2. From this scene what 

are your conclusions concerning 
life at Cleopatra's court? 

5. Does Antony realize the danger 
of his infatuation for Cleo- 
patra? 

6. From what you have seen of „„ 
Cleopatro in Act I are you in- 
terested in her? OQ 

7. Why? 2b " 



ACT II 



ACT III 



29. 



8. Contrast the spirit shown in the 
first four scenes of this act with 39 
those scenes of Act I which are 
laid in Egypt. 31 

9. What is the difference? 

10. Scene 2. How. does Enobarbus 32. 

conduct himself in this scene? 

11. How do Marcenas and Agrippa 
show natural characteristics? 33 

12. Scene 5. How do you interpret 

Cleopatra's actions upon the 
receipt of the news of Antony's 
marriage to Octavia? 

13. Scene 6. What does Enobarbus 34. 

think of Antony's marriage to 
Octavia? 35. 

14. Are you interested in Enobar- 
bus? Why? 36. 

15. Scene 7. From this scene what 

is your judgment of Lepidus? 



37. 



16. Scene 1. How does this scene 

show that the ancient military 38. 
spirit has become degenerate? 39. 

17. Scenes 2 and 4. What is An- 

tony's attitude toward his wife? 

18. Contrast these scenes with sev- 
eral in which Antony is seen 40. 
with Cleopatra. 

19. Scene 5. Are you surprised by 

the gossip of this scene? 41. 

20. Why? 

21. Scene 7. Does Cleopatra help or 42. 

hinder Antony? 

25 



Scenes 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Why are 
so many short scenes given? 

On what grounds can you explain 
Antony's flight? 

Scene 11. What are Cleopatra's 
pleas for her part in the dis- 
aster? 

Scene 13. Read carefully all the 
speeches of Enobarbus. 
What do you think of them? 
Of Enobarbus? 

ACT IV 

Scene 3. Why was this scene in- 
troduced ? 

Scene 5. What are Antony's emo- 
tions in this scene? 

Scenes 7 and 8. What is the 
dramatic effect of these two 
scenes? 

Scene 9. What drives Enobarbus 
to his death? 

Scene 12. Why does Antony turn 
against Cleopatra? 

Scene 14. Does Antony (lines 35 
to 140) act as you would ex- 
pect him to? 

Scene 15. What lines appeal to 
you ? Why ? 

ACT V 

Scene 1. What were Caesar's feel- 
ings toward Antony? 

Scene 2. What is the best speech 
in this scene? 

Why do the women about Cleo- 
patra„ die? 

GENERAL 

What are your feelings toward 
Antony and Cleopatra? 
Do you blame them? Why? 
From what you read of Octavia 
should Antony be severely cen- 
sured for his return to Cleo- 
patra? 

If you look upon the love of 
Antony and Cleopatra with in- 
dulgence, what is the reason? 
What purpose does Enobarbus 
serve throughout the play? 
What great speeches do you 
find in the play? 



THE SHAKESPEARE 



Cymbeline 



ACT I 

1. Scene 1. What purpose does this 

scene serve? 

2. Is there anything repulsive in 
this act? 

ACT II 

3. Scene 2. What qualities do you 

find in lines 11 to 51? 

4. What are your feelings? 

5. Scene 4. Are you impatient with 

Posthumus? Why? 

ACT III 

6. Scene 1. What purpose does this 

scene serve? 

7. Scene 4. What is your opinion of 

Imogen after reading this 
scene? 

8. Scene 5. Why does the Queen 

desire Imogene's ruin? 

ACT IV 

9. Scene 2. Are you satisfied with 

the action in this scene? 

10. Why? 

11. Scene 3. What is the condition 

of affairs at court? 



ACT V 



12. Scene 1. What are the feelings 

of Posthumus towards Imogen? 

13. Scene 4. Do you pity Posthu- 

mus? Why? 

14. Scene 5. How does this scene 

add to your knowledge of the 
beauty of Imogen's character? 

15. Did Iachimo deceive Posthumus 
for gain? 

16. Why? 

17. What influence do the young 
princes have in this scene? 

18. Is the end of the play appro- 
priate? 

19. Whom do you regard as the 

central figure in the play? 



GENERAL 

20. What do you think of the wager 
of the first act? 

21. Could such a wager be used in 
a modern play. 

22. Compare Iachimo with other of 
Shakespeare's villians. 



Pericles 

1. Do the prologues in this play 
serve the same purpose that they g 
do in the other plays? 

7. 
ACT I 

2. Does the material presented in 
this act seem suitable for a 
play? , 8. 

3. What opinions do you have of 
the social life of the 17th cen- 
tury from the fact that this 9. 
was a popular play of the pe- 
riod? 



ACT II 

At what point is your interest 
greatest in this act? 



10. 



11. 



12. 



ACT III 

5. Scene 1. Compare this first 
speech of Pericles with his first 
speech in Act II, scene 1. Is he 13 
in a different frame of mind? 
Explain. 

26 



ACT IV 

What time elapses between this 
and Act III? 

What are the important events 
of this act? 

ACT V 

Scene 1. In what frame of mind 
is Pericles at the beginning of 
this scene? 

Through what character is the 
supremacy of good brought out 
in this play? 

GENERAL 

Is this an easy play to read? 
Why? 

What moral qualities are em- 
phasized? 

Cite instances which prove Peri- 
cles is a man of strength and 
of weakness. 

How does Shakespeare secure 
the unity which the desultory 
nature of this play required? 



QUESTION COURSE 



POEMS 



1. Which poem do you like best? 

2. Do you place it first because of 

the story or for some other 
reason? 

3. In reading these poems should 

you try to find moral lessons? 

4. What should a reader try to get 

from poetry? 

5. What is the general theme of 

the sonnets? 



10. 



What is a sonnet? In what ways 
is it different from other forms 
of verse? 

Which sonnets do you like best? 
Why? 

Do you find beauty in these 
poems? 

Is it beauty of thought or is it 
in the way the thought is ex- 
pressed? 

Do you enjoy reading poetry? 
Why? 



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